Founded in 1901 by James J. Barry, grandfather of Chairman, Peter Barry. From the beginning, quality was at the heart of their business. In fact in 1934, Anthony Barry was awarded the Empire Cup for tea blending. Their quality philosophy endures to this very day. It’s something they will never ever compromise on.

The other thing that’s close to their heart is where they come from. They’ve always believed in maintaining strong links with their community, and every year they support many cultural, educational and community projects.

Until the 1960s, teas were sourced mostly from India and Sri Lanka and were sold mainly from their Cork City shop in Prince’s Street. But when the blends kept growing in popularity, they decided to widen the wholesaling and distribution of the brand. So they began selling teas to other shops in Cork City Centre, expanding into the suburbs, then out to the rest of the country.

At the same time, Barry’s Tea tasters began to sample exciting new teas coming from East Africa. There was an incredible reaction to these new blends, and they became something of a Barry’s signature. It became apparent that the qualities of freshness, flavour and that distinctive golden colour were very much unique to Barry’s Tea.

Simply by word of mouth, the reputation of Barry’s Tea continued to grow and by the mid-1980s it had become a much loved national brand, a fact which makes them incredibly proud. Barry’s Tea accounts for 40% of all tea sales in Ireland!